Mea Maxima Culpa Directed by Alex Gibney

“A clear and unblinking recitation of facts…” The New York Times

In MEA MAXIMA CULPA: SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney investigates the secret crimes of Father Lawrence Murphy, a charismatic Milwaukee priest who abused more than 200 Deaf children in a school under his control. The film documents the first known public protest against clerical sex abuse in the U.S., which led to a case that spanned three decades and ultimately resulted in a lawsuit against the pontiff himself. The investigation helped uncover documents from the secret Vatican archives that show the Pope, who must operate within the mysterious rules of the Roman Curia, as both responsible and helpless in the face of evil.

At the heart of the film is a small group of heroes, courageous Deaf men who set out to expose the priest who had abused them and sought to protect other children. Gibney uses the voices of actors Chris Cooper, Ethan Hawke, Jamey Sheridan and John Slattery to tell the stories of men abused by Murphy. However, it is the faces and expressions of the courageous Deaf men that illustrate the indelible effect Murphy continues to have on their lives.

Bonus Features

Deleted Scenes

Awards:

Official Selection, Toronto International Film Festival Official Selection, BFI London Film Festival